- Ants can bring destructive insects to broad beans.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Also called fava beans, Windsor beans, bell beans, horse beans, tick beans and field beans, broad beans are a cool-weather legume that many gardeners grow in winter as a cover crop. The plants add nitrogen to soil, so it is useful as a form of green manure. Several varieties exist: most are relatively resistant to insects, but the appearance of ants can signal the presence of other harmful pests. - Although you might not like the sight of ants in your home or garden, most species, except the Texas leafcutting ant, do not eat plants. But they do physically carry harmful insects to plants, where those insects then suck plant fluids. The harmful insects excrete a sticky substance, called honeydew, which most species of ants then eat. When you begin to see ants on your broad beans and other plants, they are an indication that a problem exists -- or is about to begin. If you control your ants as soon as you notice the first ones, you'll have good success in eliminating them.
- Aphids, scale insects and mealybugs are three of the destructive insects that ants carry to broad beans and other plants. All of these insects suck fluids from the plant, causing it to develop curled, yellow leaves that later drop. Severe infestations of these insects can kill the broad bean plant. Aphids and mealybugs are soft-bodied insects, while some species of scale have armored shells protecting their bodies.
- Sticky barriers are natural products that help to keep the ant population around your broad beans under control. Use them after you remove the ants from your plants. Accomplish this by spraying the plants with a sharp stream of water to knock the ants to the ground. After the water dries, spread a layer of the barrier product around the base of each plant. Always follow label instructions when using pest control products, even those that are natural or organic.
Ants Are Not Harmful
Harmful Insects That Ants Bring
Controlling Ants
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